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This was—believe it or not—a pitcher’s duel early, as Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola dueled in the opener of this huge series between division rivals in Philadelphia. The game was tied 1-1 heading into the top of the eighth, when Amed Rosario delivered a clutch hit to break the tie and help lead the Mets to victory, as the team looks to keep its fading playoff hopes alive.
Michael Conforto doubled in the bottom of the first, but was left stranded. By the time the Mets managed a second hit off of Nola in the top of the sixth, the Phillies had finally broken through against Wheeler in the previous frame for a 1-0 lead.
With runners on first and third and one out in the bottom of the fifth, J.T. Realmuto hit a shallow fly to center. Conforto made a fine diving play, but he was unable to bounce up quickly enough to throw Adam Haseley out at the plate. J.D. Davis helped Wheeler avoid further damage in the inning by nailing Corey Dickerson at the plate on a Rhys Hoskins single.
After grounding out to end a Phillies threat in the bottom of the sixth, Nola finally tired in the top of the seventh, loading the bases on a walk, single and hit by pitch before Wilson Ramos drilled a pinch hit single to tie the game—also extending his hitting streak to 23 games. Jose Alvarez relieved Nola and wriggled out of the inning.
In that eighth inning, the Mets loaded the bases again with one out before Rosario ripped a curve ball up the middle for the two-run tie breaking hit. The next batter, Todd Frazier, followed with a three-run home run to extend the lead to 6-1 to give the bullpen a cushion, and Conforto and Frazier (again) homered in the ninth to turn it into a blowout, as the Mets recorded a desperately-needed victory.
Full recap to follow.
GameThread Roll Call
Nice job by MetsFan4Decades; her effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.
- MetsFan4Decades: 160
- JR and the Off-Balance Shots: 86
- amazins8669: 85
- YuretRastin: 76
- stickguy: 73
- deegie: 56
- Jets Mets Devils Nets 16: 55
- AnneInFlushing: 37
- doctor prancer: 31
- EagleinPA: 25